Construction Panel
Angelina Perryman
Vice President of Administration
Perryman Building and Construction Services, Inc.
As the Vice President of Administration for Perryman Building and Construction Services Inc. Angelina Perryman manages the administrative operations including human resources, risk management, and strategic planning for corporate growth. Perryman Construction is one of the leading, full-service construction companies on the East Coast, performing project planning, management, and construction for major projects in the region, including Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, South Philadelphia Family Health and Literacy Center, Merck Pharmaceuticals, and the 2016 Democratic National Convention among others. Her work was recognized by Engineering News Record (ENR) Magazine on the 2018 list of Top 20 Under 40 Young Professionals in the Construction Industry. She is integrally involved in the community and organizations supporting the construction industry. She has served as a panelist for several events including, the City of Philadelphia How to Make it in America Conference, a presenter on Women as Millennial Business Leaders for the Greater Northeast Chamber of Commerce, and other numerous panels regarding careers in construction. Ms. Perryman received her Bachelor of Business Administration in Finance from Temple University in Philadelphia, PA and Executive Leadership Education from the Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth University in Hanover, NH.
Anne Papageorge
Senior Vice President for Facilities and Real Estate Services
University of Pennsylvania
Since 2006, Anne Papageorge has been responsible for Planning; Design and Construction; Facilities Operations, Maintenance, and Utilities; and Real Estate Operations and Development at University of Pennsylvania. She oversees a department of approximately 1,000 staff, $200 M in operating expenses and a capital budget averaging approximately $350 M per year, the Penn Connects campus development plan, and the Environmental Sustainability Advisory Committee responsible for developing and implementing the Climate and Sustainability Action Plan for the university. As a licensed landscape architect, she was previously the Senior Vice President and Memorial Design Director for the Lower Manhattan Development Corp., managing the planning, design and construction of the nearly $1 billion project encompassing the World Trade Center Memorial, Memorial Museum, Visitor’s Center and related facilities. Anne holds a bachelor’s degree in landscape architecture from the State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry School of Landscape Architecture and an M.B.A. from the City University of New York Baruch College. She serves on the executive boards for Longwood Gardens, the Morris Arboretum of the University of Pennsylvania, the University City Science Center, and the Schuylkill River Development Corporation; she also serves on the American Heart Association’s Go Red for Women Executive Leadership Team.
Patricia Thomas-LaRoche
CEO
Cameron & Associates 8, LLC
Cameron & Associate’s founder and principal, Patricia “Pat” LaRoche, is a former banking
executive with three decades of experience. She is known for her volunteerism for a variety of
charitable causes and her ability to develop strong community partnerships among the leaders
of industry, government, civic and non-profit organizations. Pat is a growth-focused leader who
knows that diversity is a fact, but inclusion is a choice. Pat established Cameron & Associates
out of her lifelong passion for project management and development, but before accepting
projects completed several years of field work. Her conversations with business and civic
leaders “on the street” enabled her to develop a deep understanding of the challenges and
concerns involved with doing business with construction firms generally and with minority firms
in particular. Cameron & Associates 8 is a certified minority construction, supplier, and labor
staffing firm that provides leading-edge training, educational programs, and outreach services to
empower people, businesses and communities. She’s earned numerous certifications related to
diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI), such as: Certified Diversity Inclusion Trainer, Inclusive
Leadership, Transgender Awareness, and Unconscious Bias Workforce Development.
Combining her passion for DEI with her outstanding business analytics skills, Pat has been
leading the construction industry in advancing DEI on all aspects of construction projects, an
accomplishment that has caught the attention of stakeholders inside state and local government,
resulting in their appointments of her to various initiatives.
Randy Washington
President & CEO
LSN Contractors & Construction Managers
Randy Washington is President & CEO of LSN Contractors & Construction Managers
(LSN). Randy has over 2 decades of experience specializing in managing diverse projects
including: Higher Education Facilities, Pharmaceuticals, Hotel & Casino, Teledata, LEED Certified
projects, Hospitals, Laboratories and Historic Renovations. He is a seasoned professional with an
unwavering commitment to excellence and leadership. While serving in his role as President &
CEO of LSN, Randy has a heart for the disabled veteran population and strives to make their
lives easier on a daily basis. Randy and his team are also committed to making a lasting impact
on the historically underserved communities that they serve. His commitment to safety,
customer service and always delivering high-quality projects on time and on budget has led to
one of his proudest moments when LSN was recently recognized as the 2023 MBE Firm of the
Year at the Competitive Edge Conference.
Small Business Panel
Corrine Low
Associate Professor of Business Economics and Public Policy
The Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania
Corinne Low teaches Economics of Diversity and Discrimination, one of Wharton’s highest rated
classes. She pioneered Wharton’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion major, and is a faculty fellow of
the Coalition for Equity and Opportunity. Her research focuses on the economics of gender and
discrimination and has been published in top journals such as the American Economic Review,
Quarterly Journal of Economics, and Journal of Political Economy. She received her Ph.D. in
Economics from Columbia University, her B.S. in Economics and Public Policy from Duke
University, and formerly worked for McKinsey and Company. Outside of work, she is the co-
founder and volunteer executive director for Open Hearts Initiative, a New York City based non-
profit that aims to combat the homelessness crisis through pro-housing neighborhood
organizing.
Jabari Jones
President
West Philadelphia Corridor Collaborative
Jabari K. Jones is the current President of the West Philadelphia Corridor Collaborative –
representing over 2,000 small businesses along twelve commercial corridors in West/Southwest
Philadelphia since 2015. Under Jabari’s leadership, the WPCC takes a holistic approach in
supporting businesses – securing over $10 Million in funding for job creating projects, earning
legislative victories that make it easier to do business in Philadelphia, and creating over 1,500
hours of programming that has helped hundreds of businesses to start, grow, and hire.
In 2017, Jabari created the first Business Giving Back Program, which organizes the business
community around shared community challenges. Since 2017, the program has contributed
over $2 Million in causes, organizing efforts to address public safety, nutrition, digital access.
A proud resident of the Belmont neighborhood in West Philadelphia, Jabari is very active
throughout the City in multiple organizations that are devoted to making Philadelphia a vibrant
world-class city.
Kenyatta James
Deputy Director
Economy League of Greater Philadelphia
Kenyatta James is an innovative economic development professional with a proven track record
in developing culturally sensitive strategies, managing diverse teams, and fostering effective
partnerships. As the Deputy Director of the Economy League of Greater Philadelphia, he
utilizes his skills to support the creation of a vibrant and equitable local economy. His previous
role was the Program Director for the Philadelphia Anchors for Growth and Equity (PAGE).
Under his leadership, he successfully championed nearly $80 million in institutional contracts
with local minority-owned businesses and spearheaded policy updates at the corporate, city,
and state levels to enhance support for these enterprises. In 2022, Kenyatta established the
award-winning Hurdle Fund Grant program, which provided $250,000 in catalytic capital and
enabled minority businesses to secure nearly $3.5 million in anchor contracts.
Before joining the Economy League of Greater Philadelphia, Kenyatta gained valuable
experience as an entrepreneur and community organizer.
Michelle Gumbs
Senior Director for Capacity Building
City of Philadelphia, Office of Economic Opportunity
Michelle Gumbs works with the City Department and Developers to determine where
opportunity and availability exists to assist M/W/DSBE businesses increase their ability to bid
and achieve contracts. She works with the Procurement Department to identify and work to
eliminate systematic practices that impede opportunities for M/WBE’s to participate in city contracts. Her prior position was Project Manager, working as a Third Party Monitor directly
with Project Owners to achieve and surpass diversity goals in contracting and employment on
major capital projects. Michelle advocated for M/W/DBE contractors and firms on major capital
projects that included: Fashion District of Philadelphia, FMC Tower, Pennsylvania Convention
Center Expansion Project (Philadelphia); SEPTA (multiple ARRA-funded projects), Johns Hopkins
New Clinical Building (Baltimore, MD); East Baltimore Development Incorporated Projects
(multiple projects), AtlantiCare Regional Medical Center (Atlantic City, NJ); Comcast
Headquarters Building (Philadelphia); Philadelphia International Airport: US Airways Terminals
One, F and the Ramp Tower; Citizens Bank Park and Lincoln Financial Field Professional Sports
Stadiums (Philadelphia); Temple University (multiple projects), University of Pennsylvania/Penn
Medicine (multiple projects)
Nikisha Bailey
Owner
Win Win Coffee
Nikisha Bailey is a community-driven entrepreneur, entertainment executive, and philanthropist
with a lifelong commitment to impact and change. Nikisha blends community and culture with a
love of hers – coffee. She owns and operates Philadelphia's first Black woman-led coffee
roaster and distributor, Win Win Coffee, a brand that was handpicked by Goldman Sachs to be
a featured vendor at its 10KSB National Summit, where more than 3,000 attendees enjoyed Win
Win’s African blend from Ethiopia. Additionally, Nikisha was listed on Forbes' Next 1000 list for
her entrepreneurial endeavors and is a recipient of Urban SkinRX’s Community Changemaker
Award. Brand partners with Win Win include PayPal, FedEx, Santander, Black Market Flea,
University of Pennsylvania, Oatly, and more. Win Win is changing the narrative of the coffee
industry by creating a more streamlined and sustainable supply chain, bridging the gap in equity
and generational wealth across the diaspora. Prior to Nikisha inserting herself into the coffee
supply chain, she had over a decade of experience working in the music industry. Nikisha is also
a founding member of CHIEF, a network of women focused on supporting
each other in executive capacities. She also organizes OurTable Dinners, which spotlight and
celebrate music business thought leaders. Nikisha is also a Professor within Westphal’s Media
Arts and Design Program at Drexel University.